Pros & Cons of Franchise Resales - FranConnect

There are many different motivations behind a franchisee’s reasons for exiting a system. Those can range from retirement, health issues, family issues, partner disputes, burnout, and even boredom. And there are times when the business is at a high point providing the opportunity to cash out with big returns.

And then there are those franchisees that simply need to find new opportunities because they are unhappy, unprofitable, or just don’t fit your culture. In these cases, one has to recognize that the only thing worse than someone who quits and leaves, is someone who quits and stays. The fact is that you want to see resales because it brings someone fresh and new into the system. A change in ownership can also help to revitalize a particular location.

Listen in as four “best in class” franchise experts share the formal processes and best practices for franchisees wanting to exit the business.

Viewers will learn:

Whether franchise sales or operations “own” franchise resales
How to create an effective resale exit plan
Where franchisees can turn to for help with business valuations
The best source for securing qualified buyers
How to minimize the legal risks associated with franchise resales

About the Presenters

Keith Gerson-1

Keith Gerson, CFE, President of Franchise Ops, FranConnect

Keith Gerson brings 40+ years of executive level expertise as a passionate and driven Franchisor and Franchisee with a proven track-record in building rapid-growth, and highly profitable franchise organizations. Over the last eight years, Keith has served as President and Chief Customer Advocate for FranConnect where he has been able to work closely with many Executive Boards and Leadership Teams that are part of FranConnect’s portfolio of 800+ brands and 148,00 locations. His focus is on helping franchisors to get to their desired future state in sales, operations, communications, and engagement. Recognized in franchising circles for his extensive leadership experience, and ability to drive execution, Keith is a highly-rated keynote speaker and has had the rare opportunity to have created several leading franchise systems from their very conception through launch and sustained growth taking these systems from micro-emerging status to that of successful enterprise level brands.

Alesha Yankie

Alesha Yankie, VP of Resales, Neighborly®

Alesha joined the Neighborly team in March 2016 and has almost 15 years of experience in franchising. She began as a Resale Franchise Developer where she assisted Franchise Owners of four Neighborly Brands through the process of selling their franchise. In August 2020 Alesha was promoted to her current role as Vice President - Resales where she leads a team of 4 Resale Franchise Developers that provide support through the selling process for 17 North American Neighborly Brands.

Alesha’s prior franchising experience was in the fitness/weight loss industry and consisted of supporting Franchise Owners in selling their business along with 4 years on the operations side where she oversaw the New Franchise Owner Onboarding Program and then transitioned to Project Manager of a Dual- Brand concept rollout across the Franchise Network. Along with a partner, Alesha purchased 3 existing fitness franchise locations that were failing and ran them remotely until they were able to successfully sell each of the three locations.

David Montanez

David Montanez, Vice President Franchise Development, Authority Brands

David Montanez has been Vice President of Franchise Development for Authority Brands since May 2021. From June 2018 to April 2021, he was Senior Director Franchise Sales for ServiceMaster Brands in Memphis Tennessee. From April 2014 to June 2018, Mr. Montanez was the Market Expansion Manager for ServiceMaster Clean and Restore. Mr. Montanez held the position of Vice President of Bleached Board Sales and Operations for Evergreen Packaging from July 2008 to Dec. 2013.

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Joe Mathews, CEO Franchise Performance Group

Joe has been in franchising sales and leadership roles since 1985 with Subway when they had 400 restaurants and were in 20 states. He has written five books on franchising: Amazon's best-seller Street Smart Franchising, The Franchise Sales Tipping Point, Developing Peak Performing Franchisees, How to Create a Franchise Sales Breakthrough. Guaranteed. and The Future of Franchising. Mathews has written or contributed to articles which have appeared in USA Today, Fortune, Businessweek, Working Woman, Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2002 Mathews started Franchise Performance Group as a complete outsourced franchise sales solution for franchisors.
In any given year, FPG generates 20,000 to 40,000 leads for client companies translating into 200 to 400 new deals.

Brian Schnell, Chair of Franchise Practice, Faegre Drinker

Brian Schnell is passionate about franchising and product distribution and has devoted more than 30 years to finding practical and often creative solutions for clients. He represents franchisors with headquarters based across the United States and abroad. Brian is committed to focusing on what matters most and making a difference in working with franchisors on their challenges and opportunities.

Brian's experience includes serving as the COO and Chief Legal Officer during 2012 for one of the country's leading health care franchisors. In the role, he led the company's field operations team and the franchise administration and legal groups.

With this unique legal and business background, Brian counsels both emerging and mature franchisors ranging from companies with thousands of locations worldwide to companies in the initial stages of building franchise systems. He advises clients that operate in dozens of industries where franchising plays a key role in the U.S. and global economies. Brian leads Faegre Drinker’s franchise and distribution practice. Brian’s deep knowledge and skills are based on years of working closely with clients — getting to know them and their businesses, goals and objectives. He listens, asks questions and works diligently to find solutions and approaches that work for franchisors.